Spring assembly



Aug. 9, 1938. L. J. ZERBEE SPRING ASSEMBLY Filed July 6, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i Lows J. zmsae: BY

ATTO EY.

L. J. ZERBEE SPRING ASSEMBLY Aug. 9, 1938.

Filed July 6, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. BY 1.01173 IZERBEE ATT RNEY.

DU EU US U U U U HUG U U U U U U U U U U EU Um Patented Aug. 9, 1938 UNITED STATES SPRING ASSEMBLY Louis J. Zerbce, Bellefontaine, Ohio Application July 6, 1937, Serial No. 152,122

17 Claims.

This invention relates to a resilient structure and more particularly to a resilient structure adapted for use as a cushion for seats and back rests.

Various types of cushions for seats and back rests in chairs and the like have been used. In other chairs no cushions have been used. When cushions are used either the cushioning qualities are inferior or the cost of the cushions is rather h gh.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cushion that is easily made, cheap and at the same time durable, comfortable and satisfactory.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cushion made from articulated resilient members.

Another object of this invention is to produce a cushion from a foraminous member.

Another object of this invention is to produce a cushion. from a metallic screen woven from resilient material.

Another object of this invention is to produce a cushion from a foraminous member wherein the resiliency in the bonds between the holes is utilized for cushioning purposes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stranded screen member as a cushion, wherein the strands do not extend continuously through the body of the cushioning member.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cushion for the seat of a chair from a screen wherein the natural curvature of the screen utilized to provide suflicient rigidity.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cushion for the back rest of a seat where the back rest has been curved in opposition to the natural curvature of the screen to thereby produce a cushion having the proper resiliency.-

Another object of this invention is to provide a pair of cushions, one of which is made from a screen'flexed in the direction of the natural curvature thereof, in the other of which is flexed in opposition to the natural curvature.

Another object of this invention is to produce a cushioning device made from a screen woven from spring wire.

Another object of this invention is to provide a screen having strands at least some of which are made of spring wire.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

Fig. 1 is a. perspective view ,of the preferred embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the seat of a chair taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is drawn to a larger scale than Fig. 2.

Figs. 4-9 inclusive showssteps of manufacture of the cushioning device. 7 p f p p k A Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view of another modification of a seat structure.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of anothermodiiication.

Fig. 12 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line l2--l2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13* discloses another modification of a screen.

Fig. 14 discloses another modification oflia screen. v

It has been found that a screen made from high carbon steel, or other suitable resilient material such as brass, will, if provided with the proper curvature, produce a very satisfactory cushion.

Furthermore, it has been found that the screen made from high carbon steel as it is reeled from the roll has a natural curvature caused from being rolled, which curvature is utilized to provide the proper resiliency. If the screen is formed into a cushion by bending the screen in opposition to the natural curvature, theresulting strucf ture has less resiliency than if the screen is curved in the direction .of its natural curvature. By utilizing a cushion made from a screen formed in the direction of the natural curvature, a comparatively rigid seat portion may be made having the proper resiliency for carrying the weight of the body. The same material may be used for a back rest, which is preferably madeby flexing the material in opposition to the natural. curvature.

In the preferred embodiment disclosed in Fig. 1, the reference character N indicates a pair of resilient legs merging into a rearwardly projecting base portion l2 resting on the floor and the rearwardly projecting arm portion l4 suitably attached to the back rest l6. p

As may best be seen by referring to Fig.2, the seat portion includes a pair of frame members, and 22 extending continuously around the outer periphery of the seat. An articulated foraminous A screen 24 made from suitable resilentmaterial, such as high carbon steel, is clamped between members 20 and 22, which are held in fixed spaced relation by suitable rivets 26. forming the cushion of the seat is preferably made from high carbon steel wires woveninto a screen having eight mesh to the inch. The seat portion 24 is preferably formed by exerting a pressure upon the screen having a natural curvature like that indicated by the'reference character 23 seen in Fig. 4. t H

The natural curvature of the bank 23 is caused by the screen usually being handled in a roll The screen 24 when shipped from the mill to the factory. The

thisarea,sothattheblank This is where it is held in posing bands I. and 22. Byproducingaseatutilizing the-natural curvature of the material which provides flexibility to the back rest formed in opposition to the natural curvature, the proper resiliency for the seat portionand for the back rest may be obtained from the same type of material. The

same results could, of course, be obtained by utilizing a fiat biankhaving the proper resiliency. It would then probably be necessary to use one type of material for the seat portion and another type of material for the back portion. The seat and back rest could also be made from different types of materials having a natural curvature, both bent in the direction of the natural curvature, or both bent in opposition to the natural curvature, providing materials are selected that will give the proper results by so doing.

Itisnotnecessarytouseascreenhavinga natural curvature. Fiat pieces of screen either woven or apertured, as hereinafter more fully described, may be used, providing screens of the 40 proper resiliency are selected.

'Ihe forward portion of the seat is attached to the upright portion of the legs Ill. The sides ofthebackrestmaybeattachedtotherear end of the arm rests It by means of a suitable bracket 34. An angle bracket or angle iron 36 holds the rear portion of the seat and the bottom of the back rest in proper relation to each other. In the modification disclosed in Fig. 10, the screen portion ll has the upper part contoured much the same as that shown in Fig. 3; but in the modification disclosed in Fig. 10 the screen overlies or extends over the outside of the supporting member 02. The screen has a reentrant portion 44, clamped between member 42 and a retaining member I. These members may be held in position by rivets I, by suitable bolts or screws, or by welding. The back portion of -the chair may be made in a manner similar to that disclosed in l"ig. 10.

The modification disclosed in Fig. 12 is a cross sectional figure similar to the cross sectional Figure 3 of my Patent No. 2,048,715 dated July 'I, 1936, which has been modified so as to incorporate the foraminous cushion, as will be described more fully later. The seat and back portion in this modification is made integral from a sheet metal member I, provided with a marginal head 52, extending continuously along the sides of the seat, along the sides of the back and over the top of the back, like that disclosed in my patent. The central portion of the seat hasbeencutaway. Themarginoftheopening is reversely folded upon itself, forming the reentrant flange It. The bight of the reentrant fiangesi4engagesandclampsthemarginit a curvature of theofthescreencushionn contom-edsoastohave the proper resiliency. The cushion llhas portionsnearthemarginformedbyaforceexceeding the elastic limit of the material, so as to have the proper contointo'produce the desired result.

In the modification disclosed in Fig. 13, a foraminous screen member ll has been shown, provided with a plurality of perforations I bounded by bonds or strands M. The sheet metal used in producing member II is made from a suitable resilient material, as for example, high carbon steel or the like. The bonds it do not run continuously throughout the strip, but areinterruptdsoastobound onlytwosquares oneachsideorless,as-thecasemaybe. These bonds are easily flexed whenever a pressure is exerted upon the screen in a direction normal thereto. Due to the resilience of the material, it will spring back into the original position immediately upon therelease of the pressure, This fa'aminous screen may be used as a cushion material much the same as the woven screen described above, or it may be used as a fiat seat, as the material will fiex without being originally curved.

In the modification disclosed in Fig. 14 a foraminous screen II has been shown, wherein the apertures 12 are arcuate and circumferentially arranged. The apertures are arranged in concentric rows wherein the apertures in each row are staggered with respect to the apertures in the adjacent rows. This provides bonds or strands I4 between the apertures, which bonds do not extend in a straight line across the screen. These bonds upon being subjected to a pressure normal to the plane of the screen are fiexed or bent; but spring back into the original position immediately upon the release of the force. This foraminous member may be formed into an arcuate formation or may be used fiat, much the same as the modification disclosed in Fig. 13.

Although the! cushion has been shown in connection with a chair, especially a. chair adapted for porch or. outdoor use, the invention is equally as applicable to cushions used in other types of seats such as rocking chairs, office chairs, automobile seats, airplane seats and pews. more, the use of the cushions is not limited to the use in seats. These cushions may be used in upholstering furniture, they may be used instead of the conventional bed springs or they may be used for other cushioning devices, as for example, cushion on billiard tables or the like. Furthermore, the resiliency of the screen may be used as a substitute for other types of springs.

The metallic screen described thus far has been made from spring material. Instead of being made exclusively from spring material, some of the strands may be made of spring wire, others of soft wire or fibrous material. Likewise, the wires may be woven into fabric so that the finished product will simulate fabric, but reenforced by the resilient wires, so as to have the proper cushioning eflects. In such a structure the wires may be alternated with the woof and the warp of the fabric. Instead of being alternated, the wires maybe grouped, running parallel to the wool or parallel to the warp, or both. For some purposes the woof may be made from resilient steel wire and the warp from soft wire having very little resiliency, or vice versa. This depends entirely upon the demands of the finished material.

Although the preferred modification of the de- Furthervice hasbeen described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, in the novel parts, combination of parts and mode of operation, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A cushioning device for a chair or the like including supporting means and a unitary metallic screen of resilient material formed into arcuate shape having a greater curvature near the peripheral margins than the curvature of the central portion, said greater curvature being arranged in spaced relation from said supporting means and means engaging the margins of the screen throughout its entire periphery for supporting the same and preventing movement of the margins of the screen, but permitting a yielding movement of the screen inside the margins.

2. A cushioning device including a metallic screen woven from spring steel wire, said metallic screen being. formed into arcuate formation having a greater curvature near the margins than the curvature of the central portion and means for limiting the free movement of the margins, said greater curvature being arranged in spaced relation from said means.

3. A cushioning device including a metallic screen having arcuate portions, said screen being woven from high carbon steel wire and means for restricting the movement of a portion of the screen in spaced relation from the arcuate portions, but permitting free movement of other portions thereof.

4. A cushioning device including an arcuate metallic screen woven from transversely disposed resilient wire and means for restricting the free movement of a portion of the wire, but permitting yielding movement of other portions thereof.

5. A cushioning device including an arcuate metallic screen woven from drawn spring wire and means for restraining the free movement of a portion of the screen, permitting yielding movement of other portions thereof.

6. A resilient supporting device including an arcuate screen woven from drawn spring wire and supporting means therefor, said supporting means restraining the movement of one portion of the screen in one direction, said supporting means permitting other portions of the screen to yield in response to a force applied thereto.

7. A body supporting cushioning device including a unitary screen woven from spring wire having a peripheral curvature in spaced relation from the margins, said peripheral curvature being curved through a substantial arc, and means arranged in spaced relation from the peripheral curvature for restraining the wires of the screen so as to hold it in tension.

8. A unitary cushioning device for a both! supporting portion of a chair or the like, said cushioning device including an arcuate screen member, and supporting means for supporting the margins of the screen in tension, the curvature of the screen being greater near the margins adjacent the support but in spaced relation therefrom than in the center of the screen, the curvature of the screen when released from the support being different from the curvature thereof when mounted upon the support.

9. A resilient device including a surrounding support and a i'oraminous metallic screen mounted in said support, said screen having zones of a lesser radius of curvature than the balance of the screen, said zones being spaced from the support and initially formed by being subjected to a force exceeding the elastic limit, said support restraining the movement of a portion of the screen and exerting a tension upon the screen so as to hold it flexed within the elastic limit.

10. A cushioning device for a seat of a chair or the like including an arcuate fabricated member woven from transversely disposed elongated spring members, and means marginally engaging said fabricated member, the curvature of which is greater near the margins thereof but in spaced relation from said supporting means than the curvature of the central portion thereof.

11. A cushioning device for a chair or the like including a spring formed from a sheet of metallic screen woven from drawn high carbon steel wire, said screen being convexed, and supporting means engaging the margins of the screen to fixedly hold the same.

12. A body cushioning device for use in chairs or the like consisting of a single fiat piece of screen woven from spring wire at least a part of the outside edges being formed into arcuate formation having a greater curvature than the central portion of the piece of screen so as to set up bow-like stresses in said central portion, and supporting means engaging at least a portion of the margins of the screen to hold the same in position.

13. A cushioning device for a seat of a chair or the like including an arcuate fabricated screen woven from transversely disposed spring wires, the curvature of said screen increasing towards the margin, and means engaging said screen for supporting the same.

14. A cushioning device for a chair or the like including a spring formed from a sheet of metallic screen woven from drawn high carbon steel wire, said screen being convexed, and supporting means engaging at least a portion of the margins of the screen to hold the same in position.

15. A cushioning device for a chair or the like including a spring formed from a sheet of curved metallic screen woven from drawn high carbon steel, and supporting means engaging at least a portion of the margins of the screen to hold the same in position, the curvature of the screen when released from the support being difierent from the curvature thereof when mounted thereon.

16. A cushioning device having supporting means including a reentrant flange forming a bight, said cushioning device including a metallic screen woven from spring wire, the main body having a curvature, which curvature merges into a flange along the margin projecting into the bight of the supporting means and clamped therein so as to support a portion of the screen in fixed relation with respect to said supporting means.

17. A cushioning device having a fixed support including clamping means, said cushioning device including a resilient metallic arcuate screen the curvature of which terminates in a reentrant flange, said flange being clamped in said clamping means so as to rigidly support the flange but permit yielding movement of other portions of the screen.

LOUIS J. ZERBEE. 

